The Sound of Music endeared Georg von Trapp (1880–1947) and his singing family to the world, and it also showed how desperately the Nazis wanted Captain von Trapp for their navy. In To the Last Salute we learn why. Trapp’s own story of his exploits as a submarine commander during the First World War is as exciting as it is instructive, bringing to stirring life a little-known chapter in the naval history of that war.

In his many guises, Trapp describes life as captain of Austro-Hungarian U-boats in the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas, emerging by turn as the Imperial Austrian naval officer, the witty observer of international politics, and the indefatigable and ultimately heartbroken patriot opposing the Allied enemy. He relates deadly duels with submarine sweepers, narrow escapes and excruciatingly close calls, and the spectacular sinking of cargo and war ships—all while maintaining a keen sense of the camaraderie of seamen from every corner of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Trapp’s story, in English for the first time, offers a rare combination of human interest, historical insight, and true life-and-death adventure.

Elizabeth M. Campbell is the granddaughter of Georg von Trapp. A graduate of Middlebury College, she is the director of advancement at the Cotting School in Lexington, Massachusetts. Campbell lives outside Boston.

“[A] lively, amusing, at-times-gripping memoir of naval warfare in the Mediterranean, and U-boat life. . . . One of its fascinating aspects is the glimpse it offers into the multiethnic makeup of this imperial navy, and the admirable attitudes and behavior of a patriotic officer on the losing side of a great conflict.”—The Atlantic

“[Georg] von Trapp captures the feeling of a bygone era where chivalry and love of country were paramount. . . . His amazing exploits in the Great War and life-and-death experiences as a commander of various U-boats will enthrall readers.”—Military Heritage

“[Elizabeth Campbell] has provided readers of naval history and popular culture something of great utility, and great fun: an English translation of her famous ancestor’s World War I memoir. . . . Trapp’s book gives us a rare glimpse into the world of the earlier submariner, and of a naval force that no longer exists. . . . An entertaining story that gives the reader a vivid picture of submarine warfare at its most primitive.” —Donald Stoker, Journal of Military History

“[Georg von Trapp] almost certainly always tried to put his best foot forward, and he emerges from his account as a man of great skill, considerable compassion . . . and sufficient tact and tolerance to handle the kind of polyglot crews that sailed for the Dual Monarchy. . . . He fought on to the end, knowing that the Dual Monarchy he served so well was crumbling. In the end, he gave the last salute of the title when the imperial flag was hauled down for the last time. Appealing to von Trapp family admirers, of course, and also to naval buffs, regardless of how they respond to music.”—Booklist

“This book is the hitherto untold prequel to the legendary von Trapp history. In his narrative Captain von Trapp emerges as a patriot, a compassionate commander, and a self-effacing hero.”—William Anderson, author of The World of the Trapp Family

2007 History Book Club Alternate selection

 

2007 Military Book Club Alternate selection